1959 – 2014 Fifty-five years big changes of the Barbie™ Doll

(Part I 1959 till 1989)

In Barbie Doll History here have been numerous types of Barbies made since she was first introduced in 1959. With a rare exception here and there, Barbie’s body hasn’t changed much. Some may have more movable parts, but the size and shape remains the same. Her face however, is a different story.

* I will not put all dolls on this list, because nothing has changed on the doll as a doll above.

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Vintage Barbies were made from 1959 to 1966

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March 9, 1959

Happy birthday Barbie!

#850 NO.1 Barbie Teen Age Fashion Model ™ She had rooted hair made of a soft silky saran marial styled in ‘ponytail’(some had a different hair styling) with curly bangs either blonde or brunette. She had bright red lips. heavy eyeliner and pointed eyebrows. Her eyes had white irises with a slightly oriental apperance. Made of flesh-toned vinyl plastic (most ar now pale ivoy color and a few are sickly white), she was a long-limbed, shapely doll, 11 1/2 inches tall. She had metal cylinders in both legs with openings in the feet to fit down on a pedestal stand with two prongs. She had movable head, arms and legs.

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Found few rare NO. 1 Barbie dolls.

1958 – 1959 #1 Sample Barbie Dolls. Are Ultra rare HTF they are hand painted (free form, no stencils), you can see the tiny brush strokes. They are the very first dolls and a gift from Mattel. Some of you may know that the Handlers and Mattel were very family/ employee focused and this doll was awarded to her owner for doing a job well done. Proof of this is the fact that there isn’t a price sticker or remnants of one on the box. The dolls were not sold in a store!!

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This is a Rare PINK NO.1 Barbie doll and found in 2014. She is not paled at all and has the flesh color. The original owner, who had her stored away since receiving her in 1959.

July 24, 1959 #850 NO.2 The dolls without holes in her feet. New black stand. Rest the same like before.

NO 1 and 2 Barbie Original Patent from the Patent & Trademark Office John W. Ryan3,009,284. The application was filed on July 24, 1959 and patented on November 21, 1961.

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No.2 PINK SILHOUETTE Shopdisplay Dressbox

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1960

1960 #850 NO. 3In 1960 Mattel came out with a new face for Barbie. The mold was the same, but Barbie now had new makeup. Her pointy brows were now softly arched, her heavy black eyeliner and white irises replaced by black eyelash ridges and blue irises, with blue or brown eyeliner that was far lighter and more youthful in appearance. Her red lips remained, as well as her hourglass figure. Rest the same as the NO.2 Barbie.

No.3 Blonde Ponytail in a darling variation ofApple Print Sheath with red hat! She is tied into a first-issue box marked “Sample” on both ends.

No.3 Blonde Ponytail in a darling variation of “Picnic Set”. She is tied into a first-issue box marked “Sample” on both ends.

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Later in 1960 #850 NO.4 Barbie changed again by the end of 1960, when Mattel started using an improved vinyl (the previous dolls had a tendency to fade in color), and along with that, made some more face changes. Her brows became a bit lighter, and her eyeliner became exclusively blue, and less dramatic. These changes gave her a subtly younger appearance due to the look of less heavily-applied makeup. New stand with but a few had still the old stand. Rest the same like before.

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No.4 Pink Silhouette Shopdisplay Dressbox.

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Rare Japanese Shopdisplay Dressbox.

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Rare SAMPLE No.4 Dressbox – variation Open Road. The sweater is a BLUE/LAVENDER color that was never produced by Mattel but IS THE SAME BLUE SWEATER SEEN IN SOME OF MATTEL’S EARLY CATALOGUES FOR OPEN ROAD.

Sold at Ebay.com for US $2,400.00 April 5, 2016.

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Giftset.

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1961 #850 NO.5 Dolls with a new firmer textured saran hair (some had the old soft hair), in Blonde, Brunette and Readhead/Titan ‘Pontytail’. The eyes had a sky blue eyeliner. A new type of body made of hard plastic and was hollow inside. Most of these dolls had hard plastic arms and legs. A few have been found with the older, rubbery-feeling arms and legs. Rest the same like before.

1972 Montgomery Ward #1 reproduction. In 1972 Montgomery Ward & Company was one hundred year old. To help celebrate this anniversary, several doll companies reissued famous dolls sold through the years by the montgomery Ward & Company. Mattel reissued what was supposed to be the first Barbie doll. Actually the reissured Barbie was more like the Barbie of 1964. She had the tan tone skin, the hard hollow torso, marked Midge/Barbie like in 1964. Her brunette ponytail hair was made from later type saran material. She also had the blue irises and the curved eyebrows of the later dolls. Found in two variation boxes.

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1961

From 1961 through 1963 Barbie had more hair colors and new bouffant hairdos to choose from. Her face didn’t change too drastically, continuing to have the same mold, although her lip color went from deep red to shades of pink and coral along with the fashions of the 60’s. Barbie stayed in the more youthfulcrowd with the light lip colors and hip bouffant hair style.

1963

By 1963-66 Barbie’s face became plumper-cheeked. She had a new, larger knob that held her head on her neck, which necessitated the plumper face–or did it? In any case, a plump face is more typical of a teenager, and confers youth. Her eyes became larger in appearance due to the way the eyes were made up.

Rare Found: CAROLINE KENNEDY’S “JAPANESE BARBIE”. REDHEAD BUBBLE CUT BARBIE WITH ORIGINAL BOX. DOLL IS DRESSED IN KIMONO AND COMES WITH FOUR ADDITIONAL KIMONOS, EVENING GOWN AND DAY DRESS, HIGH HEELS AND BROCHURE IN ORIGINAL PACKAGE. DOLL HAD BEEN A GIFT TO CAROLINE KENNEDY AND COMES WITH CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY FROM KENNEDY PERSONAL ARTIFACTS AND DOCUMENTS AUCTION JULY, 2003.

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1964 – 1967 #0850 There were a Big hair and few side part styling Bubble Cut dolls (hair colors varied). Some had big lips and a few had white lips. Some had in 1965 High Color and AM (Amercan Girl) face. Some had straight legs and some had bend legs. They are found in Japan and in Europe. Rare found in the Netherlands the bendable legs had a #0850 box with a red sticker ‘Buigbare benen” (Bendable Legs). Also found in Europe Bubble Cut dolls with pink skin straight legs or bendable legs with High Color Magic faces and they do not have nail polish color.

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1966 Ad from Mattel France Europe.

1966 Some ‘Big Hear’and ‘Side Parts’ were dressed in Fashion Queen swimsuit – sold only in Europe (see ad).

1967 and later Very rare Sidepart Bubble Cut Barbie pink skin and High Colr Magic face and straight legs (some had Bendable legs) and they do not have nail polish color – sold in Europe.

1963 #870 BarbieFashion Queen. New molded head with a blue band and three wigs on a wigstand. Blonde bubble-on-a-bubble, brunette page boy and titian side part flip. Body and the Midge/ Barbie marking. Rest the same like before the 1963 dolls.

Toy Fair Shopdisplay Dressbox.

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Giftset.

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1964 #1060Miss Barbie.This doll was a real innovation in the Barbie doll line. She was the first doll with life-like bendable legs and the only doll with eyes that would open and close. She had a molded head with orange band and three wigs on a wig stand. The wigs were in the thre different styles and varous shades of blonde, brunette and titian. Included was a lawn swing and planter and new colored gold stand. Although the Miss Barbie boddy was the same size as the other Barbie Bodies, it had a different neck knob. This type of neck was neccessary because of the special construction of the Miss Barbie head. New marks.

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1965

1965 #1070 Barbie ‘life like’bendable knees. She had classic American Girl hair styling. Blonde, brunette and red head/titian in few shades and few different hair parts. Rest the like the Miss Barbie doll before.

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Rare Shopdisplay Dressbox.

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Variation Hairstyl:

Rare Side Part hair with blue headband from Japan (some are found in Europe)

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Rare Long hair dolls from Europe

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c1965 Flyer of Japan with a AM High Color Magic Face.

Vere Rare long Hair with High Color Magic face

New marks with RAISED ‘MADE IN JAPAN’

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Rare Sample Doll with long hair and High Color Magic face.

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1966 – 1967 Very rare Long hair American Girl from Europe with Straight Legs and Pink Body and Face, with High Color Face.

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1966 – 1967 Side Part hair styling American Girl . Indifferent shades, two different parts hair, with high Color Magic face. She is on a Straight Leg Body, with pink skin, her skin tone is even. Sold in Japan and is very HTF.

Very rare frosty Blonde Side Part hair with long bangs, and her facial painting glows from the frosty highlights. This near mint doll is sold for $ 1.734,- Jan.15 2016 at Ebay.com. See also book ‘Barbie in Japan’ page 66 and text 68.

Marked as a Midge/Barbie.

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1966 Bendable Legs box with Swirl Ponytail and Bubble Cut Barbie with bendable legs. In 1966 Mattel switched to making the bend-leg (American Girl) bodies. And of course they switched to the new pageboy hair styl. However, as we know, they tended to use up all their extra parts, so they ended up with some left-over Swirl and Bubblecut heads. What to do? Sell them in the new boxes on bend-leg bodies! Swirl Ponytail is one of those rare gals. If you look closely, her box is actually hand-stamped “Brun. Pony” on one end (see photo). This stamp was put on there at the factory.

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1966 Big hair or Side Part Bubble Cut, high Color Magic face with bendable legs sold in Japan and Europe.

A Very rare found in the Netherlands: #850 Ash Bonde Side Part Bubble Cut with Bendable legs with red sticker: ‘met kniegewrichten'(Dutch = with knee joints) NRFB. – found in the 80′ in a Toy shop (old stock) in the Netherlands – Barbielist-Holland collection.

#850 Dark Brunette Side Part AM with Bendable Legswith red sticker: ‘met kniegewrichten'(Dutch = with knee joints) from a Collector in Belgium and also found in the ’80 – Sold at Ebay.com Oktober 4, 2015 for $ US $1,191.66.

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1967 Barbie ‘life like’bendable knees andTwist N Turn head sold only in Germany.

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1966

1966 #1150 Color Magic This doll came with either Golden Blonde or Midnight Black hair that changed to either Scarlet Flame or Ruby Red when the enclosed solution was applied. Some Color Magic Barbie are considered “high color” with very vivid makeup. Rest the same like the American Girl .

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This is a Gold Blonde Prototype/sample (platinum see picture before). Mattel did not make these Barbies with Legs.

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Rare Found: American Girl / Color Magic – This is a sample doll that looks like an American Girl with Lemon Blonde Color Magic hair. She has her American Girl swimsuit, and a Color Magic hair band in her hair. She comes with her aqua open toe pumps, booklet and a cardboard box that is stamped “sample” on each side. She is Mint and never been played with. She has her nail polish and some toe polish. She also has her original cello on her hair and head.

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Giftset.

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1967

Vintage Barbies made from 1967 to 1973 are considered to be ‘Mod’ Barbies.

In 1967 Barbie became an entirely new girl with the advent of a new face mold and a twist-n-turn waist. She quickly gained real rooted eyelashes, bigger eyes, a somewhat rounder face, and plump pink or coral lips. Her hair was now in the new long, straight style that would usher in the 70’s. Barbie had the same face mold essentially through 1972, although there were a number of variations that walked, talked or could be contorted into more poses.

1967 – 1971 Twist ‘N Turn Barbie Dolls

1967 #1162 Trade-IN Doll. The big news of 1967 was the “Twist ‘N Turn”waist-and Barbie’s new “Facelift”!Since teenage makeup and hair styles had changed dratically since 1958. Mattel felt that Barbie shouldhave a more modern apperance. Therefore, a new head was designed for her. The twist and turn waist was a major technological change, making the dolls more poseable than ever before. In may there was an official Mattel Trade-In program to introduce the new Twist ‘N Turn Barbie. One could trade in a old doll, plus $1.50, and get one of the new dolls. 1,250,000 old dolls were trade during the month of May alone. These were given to charity. The doll had lond straight hair with bangs in four colors: Summer Sand, Chocalate Bon-Bon’Go Go Co-Co and Sun Kissed. She had Rooted eyelashes, pink skin and bendable legs. Made in Japan.

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Later 1967 #1160 regular Twist Barbie, same doll different box sold for the normal price:-).

70′ Twist ‘N Turn dolls found in Europe:

1973 – 1974 Twist and Turn. This doll has blonde hair styling with two tails. Found in Germany and Italy.

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1974 #7192 Funtime.This doll has blonde hair styling with two tails. Found in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France. Made in Taiwan.

Marks

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1967 – 1971 #1190 Standard.

1967 #1190 Standard withnew mod Barbie face and hair-do like TWT; blonde, two shades; brunette, two shades or red head. The doll had painted eyelashes and pink skin. Some had the old gold stand and most had the new Clear X-Stand. Old Midge/Barbie marks body.

Marks

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Giftsets.

1968 Island Steel Barbie Loves the Improvers Exclusive. These dolls (either blond or redhead) were part of a promotional campaign for ISLAND STEEL! The doll’s metallic dress is a futuristic design by Spanish designer Paco Rabanne.

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Variation color.

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1969 New swimsuit. The Rest the same dolls like 1967.

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Dressbox Sliver Tip – Sears Giftset.

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1971 Blonde, Gold blonde, Light Brunette and Dark Brown hair with NEW centered eyes. The Rest the same dolls like 1969.

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70′ and 80’s Standard dolls found in Europe and Canada:

1972 – 1973 Standard DressDoll, Barbie Standard Doll from 1969.

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Barbielist-Holland Collection

1973 Standard. Blondesold in Europe and Titian with Stacey head mold in England.

1968

1968 Hair Fair.

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1968 – 1971 Talking. She Talk!

That was big news in 1968. She talked in Englisch and in Spanish. Just pull the string in there back and she say different sentences. Most of these Talking dolls are mute today because of deterioraring rubber bands inside, but they can be repaired to talk again. Another problem with these dolls (and many following doll types up to the mid-1970s) is limbs that fall off or melt into the bodies. That is caused by the softener in the plastic of the limbs, witch rescts with the hard plastic fixtures of the body. (see picture from 1971 Busy Barbie) Most of the Talking Barbie dolls speak Englisch. A few speak Spanish. In Europe found, Barbie doll spoke French, Dutch and German. Japanese Talking Barbie Dolls dolls are found. First dolls are made in Japan, later dolls made in Mexico in different hands.

1968 – 1969 Talking . She talked in English (#1115) and in Spanish (#8348). The first talking mentined Stacey in their speech. She came in blonde, brunette and Titian two shades. Made in Japan ( Window Box) and later dolls in Mexico (different hands).

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Giftsets.

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1969 same dolls but from Hong Kong (different Boxes).

Marks

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Giftsets.

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1970 Some with the old Barbie face and some hadRare Stacey face all with NEW spit curls.